Content

This unit will encourage the integration of relevant physiological, psychological, family, social and cultural factors so as to form a broad biopsychosocial perspective to understanding psychopathology. Within this multidimensional integrative perspective, there will be an initial examination of the history of psychopathology, and issues related to classification and diagnosis, with a particular emphasis on a critical evaluation of DSM-5 and ICD-10 as diagnostic tools. A range of specific disorders will be considered, using a lifespan approach to psychopathology. Current etiological theories and conceptual models for each disorder will be considered through a critical examination of relevant research, along with overlap among the symptoms for the different disorders, and the use of differential diagnosis.